


Welcome To St. Mystere

by your_starless_eyes



Series: Crossovers [2]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Crossover, Drabble Collection, I Don't Even Know, Layton Kyouju | Professor Layton Spoilers, Light Angst, M/M, Mystery, One Shot, Professor Layton And The Curious Village, Puzzles, Questions, Riddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 09:37:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13361820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/your_starless_eyes/pseuds/your_starless_eyes
Summary: In a small village located far from any you know, puzzles surround everything and mystery is a daily affair.





	Welcome To St. Mystere

**Author's Note:**

> I've been playing my old "Professor Layton And The Curious Village" game (my brother's had it since it came out and gave it to me after he moved out a couple months ago). Obviously that helped inspired this.
> 
> There's slight spoilers for the game, including the ending and a number of puzzles, but you don't have to know anything about the series to read this.  
> Similarly, you don't have to know who Dan and Phil are, either.
> 
> Enjoy, my lovelies! ^-^

Daniel Howell watches silently from his room as two figures walk across the drawbridge- a man in rich browns with a top hat upon his head, and a young boy in blues and whites.

"Newcomers," a quiet voice explains. Dan hums in response. "Staring is rude, you know."

"Sorry," Dan whispers, closing the curtains. "Why are they here?" he asks, facing the dark haired man in the shadows.

"Can't answer that," Phil Lester says by way of answering. "What do you say we go greet them?" Dan grins.

"We can do that," he replies. Phil smiles, grabbing Dan's hand and pulling him down the stairs. Dan laughs, following him out the door. The air is dry and stale, the sky grey, but this is home.

Welcome to Saint Mystere.

***

"I think we should talk to them," the boy says, noticing Dan and Phil standing beneath the clock tower. The man with the top hat nods, and they walk over.

"Hello," he says pleasantly. "My name is Professor Hershel Layton. I was wondering if you might be able to tell us anything about this town?" Dan exchanges a look with Phil.

"I suppose we could," Phil says slowly, "but you'll need to answer a question of ours before we answer yours."

"Another puzzle?" the boy cries. "It's like this town was built for you, Professor!"

"Luke, my dear boy," Professor Layton tells him, "please do calm down."

"Of course," the boy says, looking down. "Sorry."

"Are you ready?" Phil asks. The professor nods, and Phil looks at Luke, who also nods excitedly. "Alright.

" _Mice are famous for their ability to multiply at breakneck speeds. The type of mouse we have here gives birth once a month, birthing 12 babies each time. Baby mice mature and can give birth two months after they are born._

" _You picked up one of these darling baby mice at the pet shop and brought it home the day after it was born. In 10 months from now, how many mice will you have?_ "

His question is met with silence, and Dan tries not to snicker. It's obvious, isn't it? The answer is right there. There's no math needed, no complicated equations.

"Repeat that, a bit slower please," Professor Layton requests. Phil does, and Dan sways back and forth as he waits to hear what the professor will answer.

"You would have one mouse," he finally says. "It doesn't matter how many babies your mouse can birth- it can't do it by itself, and you bought  only one mouse."

"That is correct," Phil allows. Dan claps his hands together excitedly.

"My turn!" he chirps. "Alright, here it is.

" _A glass jar holds a single germ. After one minute, the germ splits into two germs. One minute after that, the two germs each split again, forming a total of four germs. Continuing at this rate, a single germ can multiply to fill the whole jar in exactly one hour._

" _Knowing this, how long in minutes would it take to fill the jar if you had started with two germs?_ "

His question is also met with silence, and Dan and Phil exchange smug looks.

"Thirty minutes," Luke says.

"Incorrect," Dan tells him, shaking his head.

"I'm stumped, Professor," Luke complains.

"Too bad!" Phil tells him. "In one minute, one germ becomes two germs. In other words, the number of germs doubles by the minute. Straightforward, right? It takes a full hour to fill the jar when you start with one germ, so..."

"It would take half that to fill it with two, wouldn't it?" Luke asks. Dan shakes his head.

"Think a little harder about it, dear boy," Professor Layton suggests. Luke frowns.

"You've already figured it out, haven't you?" he asks. The professor just smiles, and Luke groans. "Can't you give me a hint?"

"No hints," Dan warns. "Try to solve it without."

"Repeat the riddle," Luke requests.

"A glass jar holds a single germ," Dan tells him. "After one minute, the germ splits into two germs. One minute after that, the two germs each split again, forming a total of four germs. Continuing at this rate, a single germ can multiply to fill the whole jar in exactly one hour. Got that?"

"The number of germs doubles by minutes," Luke mumbles. "Got that."

"Knowing this, how long in minutes would it take to fill the jar if you had started with two germs?" Dan asks. Phil hums idly, leaning against the clock tower as Luke mulls over it.

"If the number of germs doubles with each minute, how long would it take to fill the jar?" he murmurs. He frowns, thinking it over. "I've got it!"

"Let's hear it then," Phil says quietly.

"It would be full in fifty nine minutes- one less than if you started with one," Luke answers. Dan nods.

"That's correct," he tells the boy. "It would save you only one minute."

"Now, what can you tell us about St. Mystere?" Professor Layton asks. Dan licks his lips, meeting Phil's eyes.

"Not a lot," he finally says. "Just stay away from that old tower." The professor raises an eyebrow.

"The clock tower?" he questions. Dan shakes his head.

"No, the one by the market," he explains. "Stay away from it if you know what's good for you."

"Why?" Luke asks.

"Well, worst case scenario, you'll die," Phil answers. "Best case scenario you run into Agnes. Either way, you'll want to avoid both situations."

"I see," Professor Layton muses. "Well, thank you for your help."

"Any time!" Dan tells him brightly as the professor and Luke walk away. "Come back soon; we might have a new puzzle for you."

***

Dan and Phil are walking down the street when it happens.

Phil drops to the ground, lifeless.

Dan screams, but by the time anyone hears it, it's too late. Phil is gone.

Dan doesn't leave his side, so when an old man shows up and goes to grab Phil, Dan fights with everything he's got. Eventually the world starts breaking apart, and Dan falls as well.

***

When Phil opens his eyes, he's back on his bed. He groans, sitting up. Dan is asleep in his own, his body curled in a ball and arms pulled up beneath his head. He's breathing, alive and well.

***

"Hey, Professor!" Dan calls, waving the man over. "I've a puzzle for your apprentice."

"Luke, it's all yours," the professor tells the dark haired boy.

"I have these ten cards," Dan explains, handing them to Luke. " _The first four are marked O, T, T, F. There's a blank, then S, S, E, N, T. What should the blank card be marked?_ "

"A?" Luke guesses. Dan shakes his head, and Phil smirks.

"It's something basic," Phil explains. "This was probably one of the first things you ever learned." Luke frowns, scratching his head.

"I have no clue," he says.

"Come on," Dan urges. "Get it right and I'll tell you something valuable. Professor, you're not allowed to help." Luke presses his lips together, thinking.

"How many cards are there?" Phil asks.

"Ten," Luke answers. Phil smiles, raising his eyebrows. "I don't get it."

"Ah, well, I'll tell you anyway," Dan sighs, taking the cards back and pocketing them. "Have you talked to Crumm?"

"I don't believe so," Professor Layton answers.

"Do that," Phil suggests. "You might learn something valuable. In the mean time, stay away from Pauly. He's in another one of his moods."

"Crumm is in the cafe, past the clock tower," Dan explains. "Good luck!"

***

"Want to go get some of Crouton's pudding?" Phil asks. Dan nods eagerly.

"Heck yes!" he answers. "That stuff is heavenly!"

They quickly walk across town to Crouton's restaurant, opening the door and entering. The tables are all empty except for one, occupied by a man with orange hair.

"Hi, Flick!" Dan calls. He looks up at Dan and Phil through thick glasses, smiling.

"Hello," he greets. "How are you two?"

"Fine," Phil answers simply. "How's your wife?"

"She's doing well, thank you," Flick answers, flipping a coin. "Here for Crouton?" Dan nods. "You just missed him. He went to visit Crumm." Dan swears under his breath.

"Well, thanks anyway," Phil tells Flick with a smile. "We'll come back later."

"Fine by me," Flick replies. "See you then!"

***

Dan groans when the noise starts- a loud horrid clanking and whirring. He covers his ears, aware of Phil tossing and turning in his own bed. Dan stands, sliding beneath Phil's blanket and lying beside him. Phil doesn't tell him to leave- not that Dan thought he would. Phil hates loud noises, especially sudden ones, and Dan provides physical comfort. Phil squeezes Dan's hand tightly, looking at him with wide blue eyes as he mouths two simple words.

"Thank you."

***

Phil watches silently from the window as the professor and his apprentice enter the tower. He draws the curtains closed.

"Well, they're not coming back," he tells Dan. "We tried to warn them."

"That we did," Dan acknowledges. He yawns. "It's getting late; I'm going to bed." He climbs in his bed, curling up beneath his blanket. Within seconds he's asleep, and Phil is amazed by his ability to sleep when the town is potentially falling apart before their very eyes.

***

"What on earth was that?" Phil hears Pauly shout angrily. Phil is curious too, though, and he and Dan rush down the stairs and into the street. Professor Layton is on the ground, surrounded by rubble and half the town- Phil spots Martha with her cards in hand, Flick with his coins, Prosciutto eating his snack...

On the ground by the professor is a young woman, unconscious. Phil frowns- he knows her from somewhere. When she opens her eyes and sits up, he recognises where he's seen her.

Flora Reinhold, daughter of the late baron.

Dan gasps loudly at that, covering his mouth and watching as Flora laughs and throws her arms around the professor. Professor Layton hugs her back, pulling back after a long moment. He frowns, noticing a small mark on her collarbone.

***

Robots.

Dan's head hurts as he struggles to wrap his head around it all.

He's not real. He's never been real. Everything he's ever known is a lie.

The old man who came for Phil after he collapsed- Bruno, Dan now knows- was coming to get him to repair him. Phil had collapsed because he needed maintenance. Dan had done the same for the same reason. All the abductions around the village were Bruno collecting the villagers to repair them. The horrid whirring noises were Bruno in the tower, working on the villagers.

Dan can't comprehend it all.

Neither can Phil.

***

Dan wraps an arm around Phil's shoulders as he watches the professor and his apprentice- now with Flora- climb into the car. Phil pulls Dan close, kissing the top of his head. Dan lets out a long breath, leaning on Phil. Dan doesn't want to watch Flora go.

So he doesn't.

***

Phil watches as Flora climbs into the back of Professor Layton's car, smiling sadly at her while holding Dan close to comfort him. Dan's sad to see them go- and so is Phil. For years the town of St. Mystere remained empty as they waited for an outsider. Phil can remember seeing Flora, disguised in a green dress, large glasses and an orange scarf, sneaking around the village, blissfully unaware that the villagers all knew exactly who she was.

Phil guesses that now all that's left is to let Flora go and return to life as it was before the professor and his apprentice came.

This is, after all, St. Mystere, where mystery and puzzles are simply part of daily life. Maybe Flora, Layton and Luke will return to visit one day.

When they do, Dan, Phil, Prosciutto, Flick, Martha, Pauly, Stachen, Lady Dahlia, Anges, Matthew, Gordon, Lucy, Crumm, Zappone, Crouton, Archibald and the rest of the town will be prepared with the hardest riddles they can find.

***

" _Good bye, little town._

" _Good bye forever._ "

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I've missed the town of St. Mystere for many years; returning to it and laughing at how stupid I was as a ten year old (I've solved a total of 115 puzzles now, upping my score from 83) was a lot of fun!
> 
> I completely recommend the Professor Layton games, as it's probably my favourite video game series of all time.
> 
> Love always,  
> Phanwich ♡


End file.
